Semi-interpenetrating hybrid membranes containing ADOGEN® 364 for Cd(II) transport from HCl media

•Semi-interpenetrating hybrid membranes are used for quantitative cadmium(II) recovery.•Optimization of membrane and solutions compositions is performed.•Membranes present increased stability respect to polymer inclusion membranes.•Models for cadmium (II) extraction and transport are proposed.•Excellent selectivity for Cd(II) over Ni(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) was achieved. Cd(II) transport from 1moldm−3 HCl media was investigated across semi-interpenetrating hybrid membranes (SIHMs) that were prepared by mixing an organic matrix composed of ADOGEN® 364 as an extracting agent, cellulose triacetate as a polymeric support and nitrophenyloctyl ether as a plasticizer with an organic/inorganic network (silane phase, SP) composed of polydimethylsiloxane and a crosslinking agent. The stripping phase used was a 10−2moldm−3 ethanesulfonic acid solution. The effects of tetraorthoethoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane and N′,N′-bis[3-tri(methoxysilyl)propyl]ethylendiamine as crosslinking agents on the transport were studied. H3PO4 was used as an acid catalyst during the SP synthesis and optimized for transport performance. Solid–liquid extraction experiments were performed to determine the model that describe the transport of Cd(II) via ADOGEN® 364. The transport was found to be chained-carrier controlled with a percolation threshold of 0.094mmolg−1. The selective recovery of Cd(II) was studied with respect to Ni(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), and Pb(II) at a 1:1 molar ratio, and the optimized membrane system was applied for the recovery of Cd(II) from a real sample consisting of a Ni/Cd battery with satisfactory results. Finally, stability experiments were performed using the same membrane for 14 cycles. The results obtained showed that SIHMs had excellent stability and selectivity, with permeabilities comparable to those of PIMs.